My Homemade Empanada Dough is the same recipe that was used in my Homemade Puff Pastry. Let me show you how easy it is to make your own Empanada Dough using Simplified Puff Pastry recipe. Watch till the end to see what can make with this puff pastry. Enjoy!

I have quite a lot of Filipino foods that I missed when I move to Canada. Some of them I rarely make here now not because I don`t like them anymore but just because my food preference changed a lot when I moved here. Another reason is that some dish are not worth making at home if I am the only one who is going to eat it. I live alone this is why I have a lot of small batch recipes or recipes for 2 in my website. But there are foods that I cannot simply resist to make from time to time and Empanda is one of them.

What is Empanada?

Empanada is a stuffed bread made by folding and filling it with meat, vegetables and even fruits like preserved jam. It is not a traditional Filipino food, it`s origin traces it back to Spain and Portugal but nonetheless Empanada is quite popular in the Philippines. They come in different variations and minced beef meat is the most common of them.

This variation was made using minced beef which is really my favorite. I also have a Chicken Potato Curry Empanada which is my second favorite variation. I have yet to make the vegetarian and the jam filled version and I`m hoping  to make it sooner that later.

What Makes a Great Empanada?

The Empanada Dough. The most common Empanada in the Philippines have bread like texture and is cook by frying it. Since Empanada are sold in huge quantity, baking the Empanada is not quite usual. A lot of stores and small vendors deep fry them. My Empanada version is quite different but absolutely delicious. It has a nice buttery, light and flaky bread and this was baked not fried. The dough can make or break the Empanada, and the common issue in making this is the dough could turn out quite tough, but not this recipe. If you look closely, you can see how flaky it is, and it has always been like this. This uses a fool-proof Empanada dough and it has always turned out amazing every time I make it.

What is an Empanada Filled with?

Empanada can be filled with meat (like beef, chicken or even lamb), vegetables (like potato, mushroom, cabbage) and fruits (like fruit jam). Empanada filling can be made ahead of time which makes the process of making it even easier.

Can You Freeze Empanada?

Definitely. In fact, this is what I do most of the time. I freeze unbaked Empanada and I just take it out from the freezer and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. It can be frozen up to 2-3 months, but it doesn’t really last that long in my freezer as most of the time it’s gone in a week time. They are very handy to have especially for days that I do not have time breakfast or a snack to go. Now, about freezing baked Empanada, you can definitely freeze it, but for me the best way to get the best texture is to bake it when needed. There is nothing like a freshly baked pastry, you get to enjoy the nice flaky dough which what makes this Empanada great.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced white onions
• 250g ground lean beef
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced potato
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup broth (vegetable or beef)
• 1/4 cup bell pepper (red, green, orange or yellow)
• Emapanada Dough (Get the RECIPE)

Instructions:

Make the Beef Filling:

In a heated pan, add oil, garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add ground beef, paprika, chili flakes, salt, turmeric powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaf and sugar. Cook for another 5 – 10 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and brown. You want it to be slightly crispy but not dry. Add potato, carrots, tomato sauce and broth then simmer 15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced. Turn of the heat then add bell peppers. Mix just to distribute. If you want a soft bell peppers, you can continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  Set aside to cool.

Note: Filling can be made ahead of time and stored in fridge.

Alternative Filling: Spicy Chicken Potato Curry

Make the Beef Empanada

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
2. Flatten and roll Empanada Dough and form into a log shape (12-inch long)
3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces.
   • Alternatively, you can also make large Empanada by dividing the dough into 4 or 6 portions. Flatten and shape into a disk, about 5-inch diameter.
4. Roll into a disc  and fill the center with empanada filling.
5. Brush edges with water, then fold and seal all the edges using a fork or by simply folding it around.
6. Bake for 50 -60 minutes or until the empanada turns brown and flaky. Check at 30 minutes and rotate pan for even baking.

Note: Leftover Empanada can be re-heated in the oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes.

Featured Posts:

• Beef Empanada
• Chicken and Potato Curry Empanada
• [VIDEO] Easy and Flaky Empanada Dough
• Chicken and Potato Curry Empanada Filling

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